1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or a word processor. More specifically, this invention relates to a thin, light-weight information processing apparatus having speakers.
As information processing apparatuses have become wide spread in recent years, an improvement in portability of these apparatuses has been required. Therefore, an information processing apparatus which is small in size and thickness and light in weight must be provided. On the other hand, to satisfy the compatibility of these apparatuses with multimedia, speakers must be provided in them and the sound quality of the speakers must be improved, as well. This means that a small and thin information processing apparatus having high sound quality must be provided.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of conventionally known information processing apparatuses according to the prior art with built-in type speakers includes a pair of speakers provided at respective side surfaces of the main body of the apparatus. The speakers of this apparatus are fitted in such a fashion that their sound radiation surfaces (or their fitting surfaces) are parallel respective side surfaces of the main body of the information processing apparatus.
Since the speakers are fitted so that their sound radiation surfaces are parallel to the side surface of the apparatus main body according to this prior art example, the thickness of the information processing apparatus is limited by the height of the sound radiation surfaces of the speakers, and the thickness cannot be reduced so easily.
In another prior art example, a pair of speakers is disposed on respective sides of the rear part of the upper surface (the surface on which an operation surface is positioned) of the apparatus main body. In this example, the speakers are disposed in such a manner that their sound radiation surfaces are parallel to the upper surface, i.e., the operation surface, of the apparatus main body. That is, the sound radiation surfaces of the speakers exist on the projection surface of the information processing apparatus. However, because the sound radiation surfaces of the speakers exist on the projection surface of the information processing apparatus main body, the speaker surfaces cannot be secured in relation with the area of the operation surface, and speakers having sufficient sizes cannot be mounted.
In still another prior art example, the speakers are allowed to swell out from respective sides surfaces of the main body of the information processing apparatus when they are used. The speakers are fitted so that their sound radiation surfaces are situated on the upper surface of the swelling portions. Because the speakers 2 are allowed to swell out from the apparatus main body 1 during use, however, the swelling portions are cumbersome, and remarkably impede portability of the information processing apparatus.
Incidentally, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-76885 describes an example wherein the speakers are disposed on a peripheral processing substrate, disposed separately from a main substrate, in order to reduce the thickness of the apparatus main body in an information processing apparatus having speakers.
Though the prior art reference described above contemplates to reduce the thickness of the apparatus main body by disposing the speakers on the peripheral processing substrate, separate from the main substrate, the size of the speakers and their dispositions are limited because they are disposed on the peripheral processing substrate, and there is an inherent limit to the improvement of sound quality of the speakers.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus having speakers in which an increase of the sound projection area of the information processing apparatus, due to the provision of the speakers, can be significantly diminished, the thickness of its main body can be reduced, and a sound quality of the speakers is improved.
According to the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus having at least one speaker, said apparatus comprising: a body of said information processing apparatus, said body having a reference surface thereof; and said speaker having a sound radiation surface which is oblique with respect to said reference surface of the body.
In another aspect, there is provided an information processing apparatus having at least a pair of speakers, said apparatus comprising: a body of said information processing apparatus, said body having a reference surface and respective left and right sides thereof; and said pair of speakers arranged at said left and right sides, respectively, each of said speakers having a sound radiation surface which is oblique with respect to said reference surface of the body.
According to a still another aspect, there is provided an information processing apparatus having at least a pair of speakers, said apparatus comprising: a body of said information processing apparatus, said body having a reference surface thereof; and an extended station on which said body is detachably mounted and said extended station having left and right sides thereof; and said pair of speakers arranged at said left and right sides, respectively, each of said speaker having a sound radiation surface, in such a manner that said sound radiation surface is oblique with respect to said reference surface of the body; and said extended station having respective gaps, each of which is defined at a front part of said sound radiation surfaces of the respective speaker, when said body is mounted on said extended station.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus having at least a pair of speakers, said apparatus comprising: a body of said information processing apparatus, said body having a reference surface thereof and provided with a keyboard section; a display section; said body having a shaft to which said display section is pivotably connected; said display section being constituted as a lid portion for said body; said pair of speakers arranged at said left and right sides, respectively, and each of said speakers having a sound radiation surface which is oblique with respect to said reference surface of the body.
When the speakers are fitted obliquely so that their sound radiation surfaces are oblique with respect to the reference surface (for example, an operation surface or side surfaces) of the main body of the information processing apparatus, the height can be remarkably reduced and the apparatus main body can be made far thinner than when the speakers are fitted to the side surfaces of the information processing apparatus. Further, the installation area of the speakers on the projection plane can be reduced in comparison with the case where the speakers are disposed so that their sound radiation surfaces exist on the projection plane of the information processing apparatus main body, and the areas of the sound radiation surfaces of the speakers can be sufficiently secured.
A gap is defined at the front part of each of the sound radiation surfaces of the speakers. According to this arrangement, the gap portions at the front surface portions of the speakers serve as sound diffusion areas and a sound quality of the speakers can be improved.